The deputy chairperson of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) in Lakes State, Adhuk Achol Ageu, has denied allegations made by a parliamentarian that rice donated by the Chinese government to flood-affected communities has gone missing.
On Thursday, Juol Nhomngek, an SPLM-IO member of the national parliament representing Cueibet County (Lakes State), faulted the state government for the disappearance of the rice meant to assist vulnerable people in Cueibet and Rumbek North counties.
“We have received a report that two people allegedly died of severe hunger in Cueibet County and that many people are still starving because there is no food in the area due to last year’s devastative floods which submerged crops and houses,” he said. “The rice donated by China was taken from Juba to Lakes State on 3 June and it reached Yirol West County where it allegedly disappeared or is being stored while vulnerable communities in need of that assistance are starving to death in Cueibet and Rumbek North flood-affected areas.”
“I am ready to take the Lakes State government to court should people in Cueibet County die of hunger while there is rice donated by the Chinese,” Nhomngek added.
However, when contacted, the deputy chairperson of the RRC in Lakes State, Adhuk Achol Ageu, rubbished the lawmaker’s claims and said the rice is stored in Yirol West County.
“I am not aware of the disappearance of rice in Yirol West County because I know it was transported and it is available there,” he explained. “Last year floods submerged villages and crops in Cueibet, Amongpiny, Rumbek, and some parts of Yirol East and displaced people and that is why the Chinese decided to donate rice to the government of Lakes State through the RRC.”
“This donation is in Yirol West County and I have talked to the RRC coordinator there and he has confirmed it,” Achol added.
For his part, the RRC coordinator in Yirol West County, Machiek Marial, confirmed that the rice is in the store in the county.
“The allegations and rumors about the rice donated by the Chinese disappearing are not true. The rice is currently in the store in Yirol West County. Governor Rin Tueny will be here in 2 days and together with the state RRC chairperson, they will launch the distribution of the rice,” he explained. “There is no single bag of rice that has gone missing from the store. The rice is available in Yirol waiting to be distributed to the most affected communities in the counties identified by the governor and RRC.”